Chapter 2

I can't believe it! Today was my first day at Boarding school!

I arrived at about 10 pm, an hour after everyone had gone to sleep.

The original plan was for Dad to take me and Mum to stay with LJ & Lizzi, but they wanted to go too and eventually wore him down. So, it was me, LJ, Lizzi & Mum who walked towards the school.

As soon as I walked up the steps, I got the feeling there was something odd about this place.

"Ah, hello!"

A woman opened the wide doors and walked towards me. She had long blond hair tied back in a bun, she was wearing a pair of glasses, and she was wearing a grey dress with black shoes. She narrowed her eyes at me and looked at mum.

"This is our new student, yes?"

"Yes" my mum answered, holding me close to her. "This is Amythest Rosestar, Amy for short"

"Ah, I see. Well, I am Miss Annabella Rose, headteacher here at the Emilia Jane Academy. Nice to meet you . . . Amythest"

There was something odd about the way she was looking at me, the way she said my name. I got a sinking feeling in my chest. Looks like school was going to be harder then I thought.

I smiled up at her, trying to look completely innocent. She smiled back, however the smile didn't quite meet her eyes. I looked at the door and she clapped her hands together.

"Right then, let's go. It's normally against school rules to let parents go up to the students rooms, but as it's your first time at a school, I will allow it just this once."

"Oh, thank you Miss Rose!" I said happily. I reached into the car and grabbed LJ & Lizzi's hands, then we ran up towards the school.

We walked through the large front doors and paused, taking it all in.

"Wow."

My sisters were speechless, until eventually LJ spoke.

"Do you think we'd be allowed to come here when we're old enough?"

There was a large hall with a turquoise diamond pattern spread across the floor. The walls were violet with pink roses (I wonder why 🤔) and there was a small desk in the centre with files and small pink bags on it.

"Ah yes, the entrance hall always attracts quite a large amount of attention." Miss Rose said, walking up slowly to the desk. A small girl about my age walked into the hall through a small door marked 'Violets'. She looks a little bit like me to be honest. She has long, curly blonde hair, and wears glasses. She has a bracelet similar to the one my parents gave me for my 10th birthday, and she has a silver moon-shaped necklace with the words 'Emilia Jane' written on it. She was carrying a clipboard marked 'Academy Notes'.

"The violets are all in bed asleep mother. The new program is working very well. The kids love it."

"Ah, excellent. Mrs Rosestar, Miss Amythest, Miss Jane, Miss Elizabeth-"

"Call me Amy"

"Call me Lizzi"

"Call me LJ"

"Oh, please. Call me Jade."

"Alright then. Miss Amy, Mrs Jade, Miss LJ, Miss Lizzi. This is my daughter, Emilia. Named after the academy of course. She helps run the new program."

"Program?" My mother asked. Emilia nodded.

"Yes. The violet Rose Academy program. Violets for short. It's for 5-10 year olds. It's a new program that allows the younger kids to experience a few years at the academy to see if it's the right school for them. Then when they are 11, they become full members. But until then, they are Violets. It's basically a primary school, except from the ages 5-10 and it's a program to get them used to the school. The older kids are required to help look after them, however after the sports day today, they're exhausted, so I offered to read a story to the violets. There are actually two spaces left, which reminds me, mother I need the advertisement to take to the post-office tomorrow."

"No need!" LJ shouted. My mum, Emilia and Miss Rose looked at her surprised while Lizzi looked at her in shock.

"What? LJ?"

"Who are you?"

"Whatever do you mean child?"

"WHAT?!"

LJ laughed.

"Relax, Lizzi. What I meant is, we could fill in the last two spaces. It would be so fun! We could go to an actual school! And we could be with Amy! And find Em-"

"Emazing! Right! That's what you meant! And find Emazing adventures! Hahaha!" Lizzie interrupted. She sighed and looked at me. I bent down to her level and hugged her.

"Listen, Lizzi. I would love if you two were here two, it would be just like home. I could come and see you every morning, and say goodnight every night. But don't feel like you need to yes because you don't want to upset me. It's a huge change, being away from home, and I wouldn't blame you if you said no."

Lizzi sighed again.

"It would be a huge change, a hard change."

"I kno-"

"But it would be an even harder change not being with you." Lizzi interrupted.

She turned to LJ and grinned nervously, her long ginger hair hair flying across her face.

"Let's do this."

My mum raised her eyebrows, as if amused that Lizzi and LJ had just decided to go to an expensive boarding school without even asking. Emilia laughed at how determined they were.

"Now hold on a minute girls, you might want to ask your mother for permission before you get your hopes up."

My mum sighed.

"Well, I would be worried but, I know you can handle yourselves, plus Amy will be here. So yes, you can stay."

LJ squealed.

"Really?! Thank you mother! Thank you!"

"Thanks mother! You're the best!" Lizzi squealed. Mum covered her ears and laughed. She turned to Miss Rose.

"Well, do you have any paperwork I have to fill out? And I need to pay of course."

"Of course. Please, come this way. Emilia will take the girls to Miss Amythest's new dorm."

"Of course mother."

Emilia pointed at the door marked Ruby.

"Amy, is it okay if I call you Amy?"

I nodded.

"Of course, I have everyone call me Amy."

"Ok, well, Amy, you are in Ruby House, which is right in the middle of Amethyst and Emerald House."

"Oh, my god." Lizzi said quietly. She looked at me and tried not to laugh.

"The irony." LJ giggled. I glared at her. Emilia looked confused, but continued talking.

"Anyway, Ruby House is probably the third calmest house of them all."

"Aren't there three houses?"

"No. There's Ruby House, Emerald House, Amethyst House, Diamond House, and Topaz House. So five."

"Umm, okay?" I nodded. "So, tell me about Ruby House. Why is it the third calmest house out of 5?"

"Well," Emilia stopped and leaned towards them. "Mother told me not to tell you for some reason, but there was a girl here who got expelled earlier this year. She was here for 2 months, and she got expelled for stealing from Mothers office. Mother said she was stealing money, but I was there when she caught her, and she was rummaging through the file case on Mother's family. She won't let anyone see it, not even me."

I was shocked. I could tell that Lizzi and LJ were too.

"Oh my god, who would do that?"

Emilia leaned in even closer and whispered,

"Her name was Emerald-Rose Star."